Walking on the Alto Adige Wine Road

Forest path with a steep but not difficult ascent. At the car park, follow the signpost marked no. 18.Leuchtenburg Castle, originally the seat of the Lords of Rottenburg, was first mentioned in a document in 1286. It was probably built around the year 1200 on the foundations of a prehistoric rampart castle. Sparse frescoes still exist. Beautiful views of Lake Kaltern, the South Tyrolean Wine Road and the Adige Valley.

The Peace Trail (Friedensweg) in Caldaro was created between 1995 and 2000 by an action group led by Georg Reider. It leads from the Sportzone St. Anton car park across the cultural and natural landscape through the Kardatschertal valley or the wild Rastenbachklamm gorge to St Peter’s Church in Castelvecchio/Altenburg.

Seven stations invite hikers and pilgrims to pause and reflect. Artists have interpreted the five themes of “Moderation, Wisdom, Justice, Belief and Hope,” artistically applying them to the environment. The sixth station (Courage) is the Rastenbachklamm gorge. The seventh, Love, is represented by the ruins of the early Christian St Peter’s Church in Castelvecchio, probably the oldest church ruins in Tyrol.

Sturdy footwear is recommended for the hike and sure-footedness is also essential in some places.

The wine teaching trail Cortaccia/Kurtatsch | On the 1.6 km path through the vineyards of Cortaccia, hikers can trace all of the important things that happen over the course of the wine-growing year. You’ll learn about wine cultivation, landscape, and history at a number of different information stations along the way. You can also smell different aromas found in wine. | The wine teaching trail Cortaccia/Kurtatsch | Starting point: The main square of Cortaccia/Kurtatsch | Highest point: 400

The ropeway path leads from Gfrill/Cauria to the historic ruins of the ropeway station for material and wood transport.

“Good wine begins in the vineyard” – an oft-quoted maxim whose truth is unchallenged.

Why this is so and what happens in the vineyard is clearly described along the Castel Sallegg wine trail in Caldaro. Panels located in the midst of the vine rows explain all about Alto Adige’s grape varieties and their characteristics, relate the annual vegetation cycle of the vines and tell the history of winegrowing. Those wishing to learn more will find plenty of information about the local climate, geography and terroir. To round off the trail, visitors can visit the cellar and enjoy a wine-tasting session, thus completing the path from the vine via the barrel and into the bottle.

The starting point of the trail, which is some 350 metres long, is the Rottenburger Platz in the centre of Caldaro. From there it leads up through the vineyard to the inner courtyard of Castel Sallegg. Visitors can follow the trail alone or take part in an individual or a group guided tour: either way you can be sure of acquiring an informative insight into the traditional viticulture of Alto Adige.

Route: Rottenburger Platz (centre of Caldaro) to Castel Sallegg (30 minutes on foot).
Opening times: mid-March to mid-November (guided tours only during the ripening season).
Price: unaccompanied visits are free of charge: guided tours are €9.50 or €16.00 including cellar tour and wine tasting.
Guided tours: from 1 April to the end of October, followed by cellar visit (except during harvest time) and wine tasting. Guided tours followed by wine tasting can be organized for small and big groups.

Start off by walking up Kirchgasse to the beginning of the Margarethe Promenade. Then take the old, mostly cobble-paved Montigler Road (no. 9). After about 30 minutes on the incline you reach a cross-roads with the path coming from the Neuhaus ruins on the right and leading to Montigl. Continue on the old Montigler Road until you reach the new Montigler Road. Continue eastward on the new Montigler Road for approx. 20 minutes until you reach the "Moarhof" Farm. It is the last farm on this high plateau (not open to the public). In order to get back down to the valley, the moderately steep and little used road to Terlan can be utilized. Where it meets the road to Mölten it is preferable to cross it, go up for about 40 m and take path no. 3 to get back down to the village. After several hairpin bends your path meets the road to Mölten, coming out of a tunnel again. Follow it for approx. 50 m. Then there is an opening in the guard rail where the trail no. 3 A continues. After about 20 m we suggest you take a quick detour to the left to the "Wetterkreuz" (weather cross). This beautiful panoramic viewpoint grants a look at the ruins of the St. Peter Miner's Chapel that was built in the 14th century and on the opposite mountain slope you can still see the entrances to some galleries from the 15th century, when mining had its heyday in this region. The path then continues a little steeply down to the farmhouse "Klaus in der Mühl" and eventually feeds into the Kirchgasse which leads you back to the starting point.

Edith Stein was a German philosopher and women's rights activist of Jewish origin who was accepted into the Catholic Church through baptism in 1922 and became an Unshoed Carmelite in 1933. During the National Socialist era she became a victim of the Holocaust "as a Jew and Christian". She is considered a bridge builder between Christians and Jews. The hiking trail shows the life of Edith Stein in different stations.

From the main square, we follow the initially steep Obergasse. After traveling about 100 meters - at the little square – we turn to the right. At the next junction - the fountain – we take the Maria-Hilf Gasse to the left, passing by farms and tall old poplars until it meets the road to Graun. After about 100 meters turn left on a narrow side road - marking 2 - leading to the hamlet Hofstatt (608 m). Change to the Graun road until shortly after Gasthof Halbweg where the road leads left to an asphalt road at the Himmelspfort inn – with the possibility of a detour to the village center of Penon (605 m). To return, turn right just after the restaurant at the Himmelspfort. Over a narrow path leading through vineyards, the trail climbs down and soon reaches the paved road that leads to Kurtatsch.

Varied and easy Trail throw the vineyards till Caldaro lake. Suitable for the whole family. (only one way 5,4km)

The Kalterer Höhenweg runs almost constantly at about one third of the height of the Mendel slope and with only a few ascents from the Kalterer Höhe (northernmost point) to the Ziegelstadl above Altenburg and on to the Gummererhof above Tramin (southernmost point). Some of the access routes are difficult. Do not hike these in summer during the hot midday hours! The Kalterer Höhenwanderweg trail is connected to the Eppaner Höhenweg trail by the Matschatsch hiking trail (signpost no. 9). Shortly before the Gummererhof farm, the Traminer Höhenweg trail (marker no. 9) continues southwards.

Follow the forest path that begins at the starting point, which is also the high trail, in a southerly direction (signpost ‘Altenburg’) (marker no. 9). Cross the funicular railway and continue along the forest road to the Ziegelstadl. There, immediately after the bridge, turn left down to Altenburg (signpost no. 9F). Alternative: From the Ziegelstadl, continue along the high-level trail to the Gummererhof (marker no. 9 G). From there, take the dirt track downhill and soon follow the signpost ‘Marking 4B’. Continue along a forest path to Altenburg (walking time for this variant approx. 1 ½ hours).

The Pinot Noir Trail in the south of South Tyrol is a new educational path where you can learn more about our land’s culture and its wines. It winds through the famed Pinot Noir vineyards and along the Trudner Horn Nature Park. It starts at the quaint villages of Auer, Montan, and Neumarkt in the Unterland district and leads you through Italy’s best Pinot Noir terroirs in Mazon, Glen, and Pinzon. You can choose between a 16-km-long one-day outing or three half-day tours.
Along the way, hikers and strollers will encounter various historical spots and cultural highlights – e.g., the significant archeological sites of Castelfeder, the oldest segment of the Fiemme Valley railway, St. Stephan’s Church in Pinzon with its late-Gothic Altar by the Master Hans Klocker, the idyllic St. Michael’s Church in Mazon, the ruins of Kaldiff, and the handsome Enn Castle. Along the way, information panels and interactive stations will help you learn more about this unique wine-growing area and its history. You’ll be rewarded with stunning views of the Unterland district. The differences in elevation shouldn’t be a problem as most of the route is relatively level. But there’s a lot to explore and discover, for young and old alike! It’s easy, comfortable, and suitable for
families. The route is open 12 months a year. A red “B” will lead the way.

The Wine Trail is layed out in the form of an "8" and takes you from the village centre, down to the lake and back – past wine vineyards, farms and estates. Ground markings have been laid into the ground so that the hiker is aware of the various vineyard names as he passes by. You will see some of the age-old poetic vineyard names, which date back to either Rhaetian or Romantic origins: "Vial", "Prunar", "Puntara", "Palurisch" …

Hiking tour through Rastenbach gorge with some stairs and bridges. Not difficult hiking tour, but with some upgrades. Duration of walking: about 1 ½ hour. Difference of altitude: about 160 meters.  

Walking time: about 2.5 hours

Starting point: Town Hall Square. Via Schneckenthaler Straße to St. Anna Nursing Home. Immediately after, turn left following the sign "Hiking Trail Kastelaz" up to the forest road. This leads first slightly uphill and then gently downhill through sparse mixed forest for 3 km to the neighboring village of Kurtatsch. In 2024, 5 new play stations for children were built. Right at the beginning of the hiking trail, children can now whizz down a rapid slide. A few steps ahead, a wooden snake invites balancing. Followed by a swing, a climbing igloo, and at the rest area "Bödala," a cable car. Right at the first houses of Kurtatsch, we reach via the less traveled panoramic road above the Wine Road via Rungg back to Tramin. (Opportunities to stop for food in Kurtatsch and at the Hofschank zur Pergola in Rungg, closed on Wednesdays).

You start your hike at the church in the center of Terlan. Via the Silberleitenweg you get to Oberkreuth, where you turn right at the fountain, walk 20 m further and then take the Vorbergweg/no°4A to the left up to the Tschirglhöfe. The first path is very steep. Further up the mountain you hike past "Mugger/Zilli" and "Bergrast". You will reach the Möltner road (please pay attention to the traffic), walk downwards for approx. 150 m and turn right onto hiking trail n°4. Where the hiking trail meets the road again, you walk downwards (attention to traffic) for a short while until you turn onto the hiking trail again. After the first 20 m descent, a detour to the left to the "Wetterkreuz" is worthwhile. It is a magnificent viewpoint with the ruins of the 14th-century St.Peter miners' chapel below. The path now leads steeply down to the "Klaus in der Mühl" farm and then leads into Kirchgasse, through which you return to the starting point.

There is no rest stop on this hike.

From the main Square of Kurtatsch, the route starts up the short steep Obergasse to the little square where we turn to the right. At the next fountain the route follows Schiessstandweg for about 50 meters until the forest path marked 5a branches off. This leads into Lochweg (marking 5), which takes us to Graun. In Graun there are several places to eat and drink something before continuing back over the old Grauner Weg which turns right after the Goldener Adler Inn and just before the St. George's church. This road leads to the "new" Grauner Weg near "Kehr". Tip: Just past the St. George's church there is a wonderful view of the southern Adige valley from the "Sitzkofel"!

Moderately difficult hike below the Mendel Ridge, mostly on forestry trails with beautiful viewpoints over Eppan, the entire Überetsch and the Bozen basin.

This walk takes you from Ora, through an idyllic wood, to the wine village of Montagna. The mountainside along which the path winds is particularly famous for the typical vineyards where the best Pinot Noir grapes in South Tyrol grow. Montagna is also the ideal starting point for the magnificent panoramic trail that has been made from the old railway line that led all the way into the Val di Fiemme.

This walk leads from Kurtatsch on the hill to the valley floor. From the main square of Cortaccia, we proceed down the Kirchgasse, past the church and cross the Strada del Vino. There the hiking path begins, going down steps following the Milla stream to the bottom of the valley. At the end of the stairs, the path continues through the vineyards for about 100 meters, and then turns to the left through the orchards on a small road. We turn left upon reaching the paved road and reach the “Katzenleiter”, another set of stairs leading again up the cliff to the Strada del Vino. The path continues to the left until we cross the road at a roadside shrine, taking the Botengasse street past the lovely cemetery to the main square again.

Easy walking path through vineyards and forest. Starting point: piazza Rottenburg/Rottenburger Platz. Final point: ice caves. Duration of walking: about 2 hours. Difference of altitude: about 130 meters.